As Cardiff fans began to demand more from the Bluebirds, head of sport Paul Abbandonato takes a look at the key tactical choices facing manager Mackay

Criticism of Malky Mackay from Bluebirds fans, or from this newspaper, is about as rare as a Cardiff versus Swansea derby without frayed nerves or controversial incident.

Rightly so, too. Mackay has done a brilliant enough job to earn our trust over team selection and system of play.

However, for the first time a little bandwagon has started up with paying City supporters openly questioning what they see as ultra-cautious tactics employed by the Bluebirds boss.

A look at the internet forums on Saturday night underlines the frustration and exasperation some fans who made the 12-hour round journey to Norwich are beginning to have.

Their team had just secured a valuable Premier League point, but mobile phones were busily being tapped on the coach home posting questions on the message boards about why City had again been set up so defensively.

Great trip, awful 90 minutes of football, was the general perception, after Norwich had enjoyed 61 per cent of possession and had a Premier League match record 31 shots at goal.

This a Norwich side, of course, who were shorn of confidence, whose own manager was under intense pressure with fans chanting “You don’t know what you’re doing” and who were clearly there for the taking.

Instead, there were times when they were permitted to look like Barcelona!

Be too adventurous and Norwich could have won the game and leapfrogged Cardiff in the table.

Be too negative, as many travelling fans evidently believe City were, and you are clinging on, hoping to scrape a hard-earned draw.

Taking off Kim Bo-Kyung and Peter Odemwingie at half-time, and sending on Don Cowie and Aron Gunnarsson in their places, underlined each of the above perfectly.

Mackay believed the team needed shoring up, but by withdrawing Kimbo and Odemwingie any hope City had of grabbing a goal – and thus a win – disappeared in an instant.

City were playing for a draw.

There needs to be a balance between defensive organisation and adopting a more adventurous approach and at present the Bluebirds are struggling to strike it.

There comes a point when City need to have more belief in their offensive capabilities – there is lots of that in the shape of Kimbo, Odemwingie, Fraizer Campbell, Craig Bellamy, Jordon Mutch and Peter Whittingham – and go for the jugular more.

They can’t rely the whole time on David Marshall having a blinder and rescuing the day, even though as goalkeeper I guess that is part of his job description.

The pressure needs to be taken off David Marshall and his back four, those defenders stoic again at Carrow Road with their blocks, tackles, and last-ditch interceptions.

In nine Premier matches played thus far, the Bluebirds have scored eight goals, with only three of them being carved out from open play.

The most free flowing move saw Cowie cross superbly for Whittingham up at Hull, while Mutch set up Odemwingie against Newcastle and Gunarsson scored following brilliant approach play by Kim against Manchester City.

Whittingham scores for Cardiff against Hull

Other than that, Cardiff’s goals have come from set-pieces – where they have traditionally been strong under Mackay – plus two moments of magnificent Mutch opportunism against Fulham and Chelsea.

At what point do City twist, rather than stick, and pile more bodies forward in search of more creativity o ensure poor Campbell is not left so isolated up top?

Easier said than done, because football at this level is a learning curve for Mackay, many of his players and the fans.

A more pragmatic 10 men behind the ball approach was understandable against opposition like Tottenham, Chelsea, Man City for large parts and perhaps even Everton early doors.

But Cardiff could certainly have been bolder from the start against then crisis club Newcastle. By the time they did, there was no other option as they were two goals down.

Many supporters also believe they could also have pressed Norwich more, although Mackay understandably will be happy with any point gained away from home.

Perhaps the difference is simply the standard of player they are up against in 2013-14.

Even though they won the title by eight points last season, it’s fair to see Mackay’s men never lit up the Championship with their football.

Their success was based upon grinding out results week in week out.

, accomplished as a result of brilliant organisation, tenaciousness, endeavour, resoluteness and the ability to snaffle up chances when they arose.

It worked a treat. Finally the Bluebirds got over the promotion line, Mackay’s astute management ensured the dream was delivered.

Scoring opportunities in the Premier, though, aren’t as frequent, so perhaps a tinkering with the tactics is required to get City winning again.

I recall watching Mackay’s own Watford side coming to Cardiff City Stadium a couple of years back and being involved in a six-goal thriller.

Watford, fellow promotion chasers at the time, poured men forward, dominated possession and played with real adventure and spirit.

They were hit with a triple whammy by Craig Bellamy, Michael Chopra and Jay Bothroyd. Completely against the run of play, but in those days, that star-studded trio could do that to any team in the Championship.

Watford pulled it back to 3-2 and Will Buckley then hit the bar. Had that gone in, many believe Watford would have gone on to win 6-3, so superior were they.

Instead, they caved in, Gabor Gyepes grabbed another goal for Cardiff and it finished 4-2.

Maybe Mackay learned a lesson from that because his pragmatic Cardiff team of 2013 is the antithesis of that swashbuckling Watford team who tailed away badly to finish 14th.

Perhaps a blend of the two Malky teams is coveted by some City fans, although whether this weekend is the time for that is open to question.

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